As you all know, I had gastric bypass surgery on 2/4/2011. This is major surgery, not outpatient surgery. I am now a re-piped organism. They changed my guts around quite considerably.
One of the disappointments I have faced in this process is how slowly I've been recovering my ability to eat real food. Two weeks ago, I was supposed to cycle off of semi-solid foods, and return to fully solid foods. I just couldn't do it. Each battle with some solid food usually brought about stomach pains and problems.
I made several omlets, and enjoyed eatting about 33% to 50% of them. However, about 15 minutes afterward the distress would begin. After about 2 hours of burping, pressure in the gut, and mild misery, I could function again. As you might imagine, this was not fun.
I tried making a very mild, savory, and sweet Mole Negro Chili Con Carne, and I threw up on both attempts to eat it. I made a very nice Mac-n-Cheese with Asiago, Manchego, and Gruyere cheese. A few bytes laid me out unconscious in a post-meal comma. I tried eating a simple chicken burrito from Taco Bell. I threw up.
Basically, I've been surviving on as many protein drinks as ever, and I gave up on solid food for the past two weeks.
That is, until tonight. I ran out of protein powder at work two days ago. Tonight, I was so famished as I got in the car, I actually decided to draft a quarterback... er... take an insanely high risk. I went through the line at Jack in the Box and got a Steak and Egg burrito.
I only ate half. I chewed it to death. This was something like 30 minutes ago, and I feel fine. I am astounded. This is the first time since surgery I have eaten something with beef in it, and felt fine afterward. In fact, this is the first time since surgery that I haven't thrown up after eating beef or pork.
You don't know how happy this makes me. Steak and Egg Burritos ranked very high on my list of favorites before surgery. I have enjoyed none of these things since surgery. Believe it or not, this is a major milestone. I was starting to wonder if I had lost meat entirely from my diet. I was beginning to contemplate the life of a 7th Day Adventist: Lacto-Ovo Vegetarianism, with an emphasis on milk and grain.
Not now. I'm saved. I am not ready to eat a steak, but I now look forward to this moment again. I should re-try the omelette and the the Chili.
